Colombia court upholds no jail time for drug use

The Associated Press

Colombia's Constitutional Court has ruled that people cannot be jailed for possessing cocaine and marijuana for personal use.

The decision ratifies a previous Supreme Court ruling that said people cannot be jailed for possession of a so-called personal dose. A 2009 law placed the dose at up to 20 grams of marijuana and one gram of cocaine.

Thursday's ruling came in a challenge to a 2011 citizen's security law that specified persons found with up to 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of marijuana or 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of cocaine should be punished with at least 64 months in prison.

While striking down that provision, the court did not mention a quantity acceptable for personal use.

Chief prosecutor Eduardo Montealegre said Friday that the decision does not amount to drug legalization.